Boat unloader or loader



Nov. 30 1926. 7 1,608,840

B. N. DAVIS BOAT UNLOADER 0R LOADER Filed April 29, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N V EN TOR. 35/ 7/55 1V. fl/YV/S.

ATTORNEYS Nov. 30 1926.

B. N. DAV IS BOAT UNLOADER OR LOADER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 29, 1925 INVEN TOR. 55/4/53 m oar/s.

A TTORNEYS Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

BEMISS N. DAVIS, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

BOAT UNLOADER OE LOADER.

Application filed. April 29. 1925. Serial No. 26,629.

My invention relates to machines for loading and unloading fruit and the like into and from the holds of boats.

Such machines are of two generaltypes, the machines of one of these types being large machines supported upon a dock or the like when in use, or partly upon the dock and partly upon the boat, and the machines of the other type when in use being supported entirely upon the boat; and the machine of my invention belongs to the latter type.

An object of my invention is to provide a machine of the latter type above noted which is comparatively small and light, and which, therefore, will occupy a minimum of space on the boat when in use and on the dock when idle, and which is readily portable, so as to be easily moved about on the dock, from the dock to a boat or vice versa, adapted to be placed between decks over ahatchway, and to be moved from one hatchway to another. Another object is to provide convenient means for gathering up and carrying the depending part of the conveyor when the machine is not in use. Other objects of the invention are effectiveness in operation, dependability, durability, convenience, compactness and simplicity'of construction, and inexpensiveness to manufacture. Other more particular objects and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear.

My invention includes features of construction and combinations of parts as will appear from the following description.

I shall now describe the machine forming an embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and shall thereafter point out my invention in claims.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a complete machine embodying my invention, shown in operating position over a hatchway of a boat for unloading the boat, parts of the bight of the endless conveyor which depends into the hold being broken out.

Fig. 2 is a partial vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing one of the axially spaced pulleys between which the depending flexible load-carrying pockets of the con veyor pass.

Fig. 3 is a face view in elevation ofthe lower end of the conveyor bight and its adjuncts.

Fig. 4 is an enlargedpartial face view of the conveyor and illustrates the means detaching or attaching sections thereof to vary its length. I

Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section on the line 55 of Fig. l, showing the manner of supporting the load-carrying pockets.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 66 of Fig. 1, parts appearing in plan view.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the machine in operating position on a boat and as seen from the left or front of the machine in Fig. 1.

In the accompanying drawings a machine embodying my invention is shown as employed for elevating bunches of bananas 1 from the hold of a boat to an upper deck, the machine being shown as located between decksand extending over a hatchway, the machine having a strong, compact frame 2 shown as substantially rectangular, the front or delivery end of the machine being at the left in Figs. 1 and 6 and shown in Fig. 1 as resting upon the edge portion of the deck. In carrying out the invention, three pairs of axially spaced pulleys are mounted on the frame 2 on horizontal transverse axes and in compact triangular arrangement or relation, comprising a rearmost and uppermost pair of pulleys 3 adjacent the rear and top of the frame, a lower forward pair of pulleys 4: on the front of the frame, and a pair of pulleys 5 on the lower part of the frame at an intermediate point and at a lower level than the forward pulleys 4, it being noted that the arrangement is so compact that the distance between the axes of the forward pair ofpulleys 4L and the intermediate pair of pulleys 5 is substantially less than that between the axis of the latter pair ofpulleys and the axis of the uppermost and rearmost pair of pulleys 3. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the front pulleys l and the intermediate pulleys 5 are sprocket wheels for reasons which will hereinafter appear, while the rear upper pulleys 3 are shown as without sprocket teeth and as plain flanged pulleys, it being im material in the present embodiment of the invention whether these latter pulleys are plain or sprocketed, as will presently appear.

The plain or untoothed pulleys 3 are idlers and are independently mounted to rotate on the inner ends of the stub shafts 6 fixed on the top and back part of the machine frame :2 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The forward eprerlreta a are spaced well apart within the fra ac and are fixed on a transverse shaft 7 journaled on the front uprights of the frame near the bottom thereof, so that these sprockets 5 are at a substantially lower level and well forward of the idler pulleys 3. The intermediate sprockets 5 are fixed on a transverse shaft 8 journaled in hearings on the lower longitudinal bars of the frame, at a somewhat lower level than the front shaft 7 and somewhat foi wardly of the stub shafts 6; The idler pulleys 3 and the sprockets i and 5 are in alignment in vertical planes at each side of the machine.

An endless conveyorhas a pair of sprocket chains 9 passingconsecutively over the pair of upper rear or idler pulleys 3, the pair of forward sprockets 4 and the pair of intermediate sprockets 5, this conveyor having a biszht thereof. depending" from the rear upper and intermediate lower pairs of pulleys 3 and 5, for hanging down into the hold of the boat, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7. The conveyor has rods 10 connecting its chains 9, and has flexible fabric, such as canvas, load-carrying pockets 11 loosely sagging or han 'ing in loops from the rods 10, as shown in the drawings, and substantially in accordance with the construction of similar conveyors well known in the art. Also as is known, the conveyor as a whole may be shortened or lengthened for use on boats having different depths of holds, this being provided for by means of detachable sections in the conveyor, such removable sections comprising a few of the pockets 11, such as one. two or three. the ends of each such removable and replaceable conveyor section an additional rod 10 is pro vided, as shown in Fig. 4L, and the parts of the chains 9 belonging LO these sections may be separated or reattached by means of removable bolts 12 in the chains. The length of the part of the conveyor to extend down into the hold of the boat may thus be variec.

Means known in the art are providedv for holding this depending part or big-ht of the conveyor taut and for spacing its stretches or runs in the hold. At the lower end of the bia'bt the conveyor chains run under idler pulleys 13, which, as shown in Fig.1". 1 are preferably sprockets fixed on a shaft 1% iournaled at its ends in bearings 15 from which hang detachable weights 16 and to which may be connected guys 1? anchored to the lower deck floor, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7. I

It is to be noted that the upper stretch orrun of the conveyor inclines in a forward direction downwardly from the upper sides of the idler pulleys 3 to the upper sides of the forward sprockets a. This upper loadcarrying stretch of the conveyor is guided and supported byrneans of a pair of in clined channel beams or bars 18, which also brace the machine frame, and upon which and 6.

In carrying out my invention, power driven means are provided for rotating the intermediate pair of sprockets 5, for thereby imparting travelling movement to the conveyor. Such means are shown as com prising an electric motor 19 mounted on the frame 2 and having its shaft QOconnected to the sprocket shaft 8 through. speed-reducing gearing comprising sprocket gearing; 21, a countershaft 22 and spur gearing 28. A usual switch box provided for starting and stopping the motor, and also theusual control box or rheostat- 25 for controlling the speed of the motor and hence the speed of travel of the conveyor according to condi- *tions of operation. For holding the loaded conveyor against retrograde movement during temporary steps, a suitable brake is provided, shown as a brake clrum 26 on the .n'otor shaft adapted to be engaged by a brake-band 2T operated by a brake-lever or handle 28.

In carrying" out my invention and as a feature thereof in combination, means are provided for gradually easing the load out of or into the sagging load-carrying pockets 11, according to whether the machine is being used for unloading", as indicated in the drawings, or for loading. A roller or comparatively small drum 29, shown in broken lines in F 6 as conveniently made'in sectiens, fixed upon the front. sprocket shaft 7 between the sprockets 4, so as to be driven by this shaft. Av second roller 3O, which is of less diameter and an idler, is carried by a shaft 31 journaledin bearings on the frame, this shaft 31 being located. considerably below and somewhat forwardly of the stub shafts 6 for the idler conveyor pulleys 3 and above and somewhatto the rear of the power-driven sprocket shaft 8. The front or driven roller 29 is of slightly less diameter than the adjacent sprockets 4, and a wide belt 33 passes around this roller and the idler roller 30. The bearings 32 for the idler roller shaft 31 are slidably mounted on longitudinal bars of the frame, and the belt 33 may be kept at the proper tension by means of adjusting; screws 34 engaging these hearings, so that the upper run of the belt forms asubstantially flat platform.

By reason of the above noted diameter of the front roller 29 and the above'described location of the idler roller 30, the upper run or stretch of the belt 33 converges towards the lower side of the upper stretch ofthe conveyor from the idler roller 30 to the beltdriving; roller 29, adjacent the upper sides of the front sprockets 4. The upper run of the belt 33 may be substantially level. but preferably inclines slightly downward towardsthe front of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1. It is evident that this upper run of the belt 33 will travel in the same general direction as the upper stretch of the conveyor and at substantially the same speed. It is to be noted in this connection that the construction and arrangement is very compact in that substantially all the space between the upper and lower stretches of the conveyor and within the triangle formed by the above described conveyor-carrying pairs of sprockets and pulleys is utilized by the .belt 33, so that the length of the machine is no greater'than is required to provide space for the belt 33.

Then the boat unloading or loading machine of my invention is employed for unloading as indicated in the drawings, the power driven sprockets are rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, and the packages or articles. such as the bunches of bananas 1, are placed in the flexible loadcarrying pockets 11 of the rear and upwardly travelling reach or run of the suspended part of the conveyor, from whichever of the lower decks the unloading is being done, and while the conveyor continues to travel, each of the pockets 11 being adapted to receive and elevate one bunch of bananas 1. Each elevated pocket 11., with its bunch of bananas 1, swings freely between the idler conveyor pulleys 3 and their stub shafts 6, as shown for one of these pockets in Fig. 1, and then is carried forward and downward, towards the front or delivery end of the machine, by the inclined forwardly travelling upper stretch of the conveyor. As the loaded pocket travels forward its bottom or back is gradually brought into engagement with the flat upper run of the belt 33, which gradually and gently lifts the pocket and its contents relatively to the conveyor chains 9 and pocket-carrying cross-rods it), gradually flattening the pocket, so that when such pocket reaches the front roller 29, its bunch of bananas 1 has been gently eased out of the pocket and, without having been bruised, is supported by the flat upper run of the travelling belt 33, and as the conveyor continues to travel. the bunch of bananas will be delivered from the machine over the forward roller 29, around which the flexible pockets pass. If desired a narrow delivery table may he provided upon which the banana bunches 1 will be gently deposited and from which they may successively manually be removed. However, I have found in practice that such table may be omitted, with further economy of space, and the banana bunches 1 taken manually directly from the flattened pockets as they approach or pass over the roller 29.

Although thus far I have found the greatest utility of machines embodying my invention to be for elevating or unloading bananas, obviously such machines are adapted for unloading other articles, partieularly other fruits and produce which re quire careful and gentle handling. Also these machines may be employed for loading, for lowering bananas or other produce or packages into the holds of boats. \Vhen employed for loading, the motor 19 is reversed, to cause the conveyor to travel in the opposite direction, and the conveyor is loaded by placing the articles or packages successively on the flattened pockets just at the rear of the front roller 29, whereupon they will be gradually and gently relatively lowered into the pockets as the up per stretch of the conveyor and upper run of the belt 33 travel rearwardly in diverging relation. However, the machine of my invention is particularly adapted for unloading bananas, as above described, and has proved very efficient for that purpose.

As a feature of my invention, means are provided for raising the depending bic ht of the conveyor and storing it on the machine, when the machine is not in use. Preparatory to bringing up this part of the conveyor, the weights 16 are unhooked from the liiearings 15 and the guys 17 are disconnected from the lower deck floor. Supporting means for the bight-forming portion of the conveyor are provided on the machine frame below the belt 33 and between and below the front pair of sprockets l and the intermediate or driving sprockets 5, such means being shown as a pair of chains 36 attached at their ends to lower cross-bars of the frame and hanging loosely in loops, to form a receptacle as shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and in broken lines in Fig. 6. Means independent of the drivimr sprockets 5 are provided for locking the conveyor against travel as a whole, such means be ng shown 105 as a bolt or locking pin and a socket therefor on the frame adjacent one of the forward sprockets il. through which the pin 37 may be inserted into a socket 39 provided in the sprocket l, as shown in Fig. 1. there by to lock this sprocket, and consequently its companion sprocket, against rotation.

By means of the motor 19 the driving sprockets 5 are now rotated in a counterclockwise d rection, as viewed in Fig. 1, and as the depending bight portion of the conveyor is thus raised it falls in folds on the supporting chains 86. This operation brings the idler sprockets 13 at the lower end of the bight close up under the frame, to the position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1. Any tendency of these sprockets to drop back may be prevented by applying and locking the brake 27. The conveyor bight may be lowered to its operating position by a reverse operation.

Because of its small size, comparatively l ght weight and great portability, the machine of my invention is well adapted for use at congested docks and the docks of &

the upper hatchway of the boat, and similarly removed from the boat to the dock. For thus conveniently handling the machine with tackle four loose converging chains 40 are attached to the four upper corners of the machine frame as shown in Fig. 1

taken with Fig. 7

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the construction shown in the drawings and above particularly de scribed within the principle and scope of my invention as pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for loading and unloading fruit and the like into and from boats, said machine being designed for location entirely upon a deck of the boat immediately adjacent a hatchway and comprising a suitable endless conveyor and a single rigid frame constituting a guide therefor, the guide including means for supporting the depending part of the conveyor in a hatchway and directing it therefrom immediately to its highest point of travel and thence immediately downward and outward at an incline to a lower point of travel and thence immediately rearward to an intermediate point of travel and thence immediately back again into the hatchway.

'2. A machine for loading and unloading fruit and the like into and from boats, said machine being designed for location entirely upon a deck of the boat immediately adjacent a hatchway and comprising a suitable endless conveyor having sagging loadcarrying pockets and a single rigid frame constituting a guide for the conveyor, the guide including means for supporting the depending part of the conveyor in a hatch way and directing it therefrom immediately to its highest point of travel and thence immediately downward and outward at an incline to a lower point of travel and thence immediately rearward to an intermediate point of travel and thence immediately back again into the hatchway, and means carr ed by said frame beneath and extending along the lower side of the inclined part of the conveyor to engage the bottoms of the pockets for gradually relatively lowering the loads into the pockets or gradually relatively lifting them therefrom according to the direc tion of travel of the conveyor, said inclined part of the conveyor being substantially only of a length to accommodate said means.

3. A machine for loading and unloading fruit and the like into and from boats, said machine being designed for location entirely upon a deck of the boat immediately adjacent a hatchway and comprising a suitable endless conveyor and a frame constituting a guide therefor, the guide including means for supporting the depending part of the conveyor in a hatchway anddirecting it therefrom outward and thence back again into the hatchway, and a receptacle on the machine for receiving and supporting the said depending part of the conveyor when the machine is not in use.

l. A machine for loading and unloading fruit and the like into and from boats, said machine being designed for location entirely upon a deck of the boat immediately adjacent a hatchway and comprising a suitable endless conveyor and a frame constituting a guide therefor, the guide including means for supporting the depending part of the conveyor. in a hatchway and directing it therefrom outward and thence back again into the hatchway, a receptacle on the machine for receiving and supporting the said depending part of the conveyor when the machine is not in use, and power-driven means for imparting travelling movement to the conveyor as a whole and for gathering said depending part of the conveyor upon said receptacle with the conveyor locked against travel as a whole.

5. In a machine for loading and unloading fruit and the like into and out of ships and the like, through substantially vertical passages thereof, a single rigid frame readi'ly portable into positions in proximity to and above the vertical passage through which the fruit and the like is to be moved, an endless conveyor, means carried by the frame for guiding the conveyor at three points only in paths at an angle relatively to each other including substantially vertical going and return stretches of the conveyor and upper and lower outer stretches, the stretches of the conveyor passing over the highest corner point making an acute angle with one another, one of these stretches passing through said vertical passage and the Other forming the upper outer stretch of the conveyor, this latter stretch being inclined downwardly from said highest corner point.

6. An unloading and loading machine for boats comprising a single rigid frame sufficiently small and readily portable to be placed entirely on a deck to extend over a hatchway, three conyeyor guides on the frame arranged in triangular relation rela' tively to each other, and an endless conveyor passing over and consecutively guided by said three guides at the three corners of the triangle and having a bight part depending from two of said guides at two of the corners of the triangle to extend through the hatchway down into the hold of the boat.

7. An unloading and loading machine for boats comprising a single rigid frame sutiiciently small and readily portable to be placed entirely on adeck to extend over a hatchway, three conveyor guides on the frame arranged relatively to each other to form a triangle, an endless conveyor having sagging load-carrying pockets passing over and consecutively guided by the three said guides at the three corners of the triangle and having a bight part depending from two of said guides at two of the corners of the triangle to extend through the hatchway down into the hold of the boat, and means carried by the frame within the triangle formed by said guides beneath a stretch of the conveyor between two of said guides to engage the bottoms of the pockets for gradually easing the load out of or into the pockets according to the direction of travel of the conveyor.

8. An unloading and loading machine for boats comprising a single rigid frame sutiiciently small and readily portable to be placed entirely on a deck to extend over a hatchway, three conveyor guides on the frame arranged in triangular relation relatively to each other, an endless conveyor passing over and consecutively guided by said three guides at the three corners of the triangle and having a bight part depending from two of said guides at two of the corners of the triangle to extend through the hatchway down into the hold of the boat, and a receptacle on the frame beneath a stretch of the conveyor extending between two of said guides for receiving and supporting the said depending part of the conveyor when the machine is not in use.

9. An unloading and loading machine for boats comprising a single rigid frame sulficiently small and readily portable to be placed entirely on a deck to ex end over a hatchway, three conveyor guides on the frame arranged relatively to each other to form a triangle and of which one is an upper rear guide and another is a lower front guide and the third of which is an intermediate lower guide, and an endless conveyor passing consecutively over and guided by the said three guides and having a bight part depending from said upper rear and said intermediate lower guides to extend through the hatchway down into the hold of the boat and so that the upper stretch of the conveyor will incline downwardly from said upper rear guide to said lower front guide.

10. An unloading and loading machine for boats comprising a single rigid frame suliieiently small and readily portable to be placed entirely on a deck to extend over a hatchway, three conveyor guides on the frame arranged relatively to each other to form a triangle and of which one an up per rear guide and another is a lower front guide and the third of which is an intermediate lower guide, an endless conveyor having sagging linidcarrying pockets passing consecutively over and guided by the said three guides and having a bight part depending from said upper rear and said intermediate lower guides to extend through he'hatchway down into the hold of the boat and so that the upper stretch of the conveyor will incline downwardly from said upper rear guide to said lower front guide, and means extending from a point substantially between the rear upper guide and the lower intermediate guide forwardly in converging relation to the lower side of the upper stretch of the conveyor to a point adja cent the upper side of the lower front guide to engage the bottoms of the pockets for gradually easing the load out of or into the pockets accordingto the direction of travel of the conveyor.

11. An unloading and loading machine for boats comprising a single rigid frame sutliciently small and readily portable to be placed entirely on a deck to extend over a hatchway, three conveyor guides on the frame arranged relatively to each other to form a triangle and of which one is an up per rear guide and another is a lower front guide and the third of which is an intermediate lower guide, an endless conveyor having sagging load-carrying pockets passing consecutively over and guided by the said three guides and having a bight part depending from said upper rear and said intermediate lower guides to extend through the hatchway down into the hold of the boat and so that the upper stretch of the conveyor will incline downwardly from said upper rear guide to said lower front guide, and a receptacle on the frame beneath the stretch of the conveyor which extends between the lower front guide and the lower intermediate guide for receiving and supporting the said depending part of the con veyor when the machine is not in use.

12. An unloading and loading machine for boats comprising a single rigid frame sufficiently small and readily portable to be placed entirely on a deck to extend over a hatchway, a pair of axially spaced inde pendently mounted pulleys on the top and back part of the frame, a shaft journaled on the front and lower part of the frame, a forward pair of sprockets fixed on the shaft, a second pair of sprockets on the frame at an intermediate point and at lower level than the forward sprockets, the parallel axes of said pairs of sprockets and pulleys forming a triangle, an endless conveyor having chains passing consecutively over said pairs of sprockets and pulleys and having rods connecting the chains and sagging load-carrying pockets hanging from the rods, said conveyor having a bight part depending from said pair of pulleys and said second pair 01" sprockets :tor extending through the hatchway down into the hold of the boat and having an upper stretch extending at a forward inclination between the pair of pulleys and the "forward pair of sprockets, a roller fixed on the shaft between the sprockets of the forward pair, a second roller journaled on the frame above the axis of the second pair of sprockets, a belt passing over the rollers and converging forwardly towards the upper stretch of the conveyor for gradually easing the load out of or into the pockets, and power-driven means for rotating one of said pairs of sprockets.

18. The invention defined in claim 12 in which the power-driven means is connected to the second pair of sprockets, in combination with means for storing the idle conveyor on the frame comprising means on the frame for locking the conveyor against travel as a whole, and supporting means for the depending part of the conveyor on the frame between and below said pairs of sprockets so that by rotating the second pair of sprockets in the proper direction the depending part of the conveyor will be brought up and deposited on said conveyor-support 111% means.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my signature.

BEMISS N. DAVIS. 

